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Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) policy is that it must be for something more medically relevant than just for cosmetic reasons - for example, it could be causing pain or repeated infection.

Just less than half of the 292 requests for breast reduction were approved, compared to two out of 120 applications for breast augmentation.

There were 1,285 applications to treat varicose veins in patients’ legs and 1,003 to undergo carpal tunnel surgery. Carpal tunnel syndrome causes nerve pain in the fingers and thumb.

A lady has her facial hair removed (Image: Getty Images)

There were 20 applications for face lifts or brow lifts (11 were approved), 68 for hair removal (15 approved) and 73 for nose jobs (technically called rhinoplasty, 51 were approved).

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A carpal tunnel release can cost about £1,500, while liposuction costs between £2,000 and £6,000 each, according to the NHS.

If patients lose their funding request it is possible to appeal, but if that fails then patients will likely have to turn to private healthcare if they still want the treatment.

Dr Neil Morris, medical director at NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG, said: “Individual funding requests are used to decide on procedures which are generally of limited clinical value. Doctors face a difficult balance in weighing up the likely clinical benefit against the need to make the best possible use of limited resources.

“The North East’s Clinical Commissioning Groups work to agreed regional guidelines, to ensure that these decisions are made fairly and consistently.

“With NHS resources under significant pressure, it is very rare for cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty or brow lifts to receive funding. Any cosmetic procedure would only be approved if the patient had a high degree of exceptionality.”